The Funny Thing About Downfalls
by oyprongs
Summary: The sorting hat gives advice to James during the sorting in first year that changed his life, and how he lived it.
1. The Past

_"You don't get a second chance to make_ _a_ _good_ _first impression_."

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><p>James Potter. A normal boy, with a larger than average ego, and an outgoing personality that drew people to him like children to candy. He didn't know it, but his charismatic attitude would play a large part in his life. And his life, depending on the choices he made, would make a large impact on other's lives. The lives he would affect, along with his own, would change the future of all wizard-kind.<p>

But he didn't know that yet, he was just a child.

Stepping off the train for his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, James Potter and a new friend named Sirius Black made their way up the cobblestone path towards a ginormous black lake where an old care taker was waiting to assist them into boats that would lead to a castle.

James and Sirius were laughing as the care taker tripped over roots and first years' feet as they tried climbing into the correct boats. A attractive red head, James noticed, tried helping the poor care taker up, but he violently refused by kicking her hand away with his foot.

It was quite an amusing sight really, the red head looked slightly offended for a second before her friend beckoned her to a boat close by.

Sirius laughed. "Old sot!" James agreed, though he didn't voice it out loud. The reason was because the red head he had been admiring turned around right after Sirius said it, and glared. She had beautiful green eyes that were the color of the grass on his Quiddich field at his house. She had a light sprinkle of freckles covering certain areas of her face. She had to be one of the prettiest girls James had ever seen. He smirked. She rolled her eyes and turned around.

James personally thought she just didn't like the use of Sirius's language, and was in the need for a joke. All the first years were nervous, maybe the just needed to ease the tension?

Laughing, just before James hopped into his boat, and just as the care taker stood up, James tripped him and he fell strait back into the dirt. And trying not to get wet, James accidentally slipped into his seat, sending mud strait at the care taker who was lying in a heap on the ground.

Sirius's reaction was hysterical. "Good job, mate! I honestly don't think I could have done any better myself!"

_Maybe it didn't look like an accident… Might as well take the credit! _James thought this eagerly. Without meaning to, James looked over his shoulder to see if the girl with the pretty eyes was watching. Fortunately, she was. Unfortunately, she wasn't impressed.

All she did was scowl and turn away. Halfway across the lake, and half way into a conversation with Sirius, the unimaginable happened.

"It was sooo funny! Bellatrix was screaming and my mom was yelling 'Avada Kedavra!' at the spider, and EVERYONE in Diagon Alley was staring!" Sirius was telling his story as James laughed along. "And they didn't even realize it was a fake spider, Andromeda charmed it!"

Suddenly another boat pulled in front of them, and as it did, a large splash that could not be caused by a boat sailing as slow as that one came with it.

Sirius was sputter and cursing, as was James, while trying to find a dry spot to curl up in, in the boat. Because they were soaked to the bone, and there wasn't a centmeter spared by the water, all they could do was sit and hope that they would dry before the sorting.

"Bloody idiot!" Sirius shouted at the boat in front of them. No one turned around until Sirius was busy wringing out his clothes. Not that he could see much, but James swore he saw bright green eyes pierce the darkness in front of him. It wasn't a friendly stare either. It looked like one that could hold a grudge.

At least the pretty red head liked to play practical jokes too, James thought. But James still wondered why she was being so unfriendly. James never thought of himself as an ugly person, in fact, he considered himself above average.

He had completely black hair that sat in a mess on his head. His height was equal to all the other first years. But since he came from a family of tall wizards and witches, the inevitable was soon to come.

People told James that his best feature was his charming smile. To James of course, it was as much as a compliment as it was creepy. He didn't appreciate having grown women whom he hardly knew admire him, and then congratulate him on being oh so handsome. That didn't mean he didn't pride himself with the knowledge.

Last but most definitely not least, was James's hazel eyes. They looked brown in different lights, but mostly hazel. They were hidden behind round wire rimmed glasses. James assured himself after his parents bought them for him (they say the muggle method of eye correcting isn't worth the risk of using magic, due to the recent number of patients at St. Mungo's who had lost their eyes.) that, A) they were very fashionable, B) no one would dare to think that they looked dorky on him, and C) the glasses added to the mischievous look that he naturally possessed.

Add stunning appearance with pleasant personality and you get someone you can't help but want to be friends (or something more) with. And that was James.

It confused James, but he decided not to dwell on something that wasn't worth the effort. He would have to spend a whole seven years with her after all.

All the first years made there way to the castle, silent in awe. It was pretty amazing James admitted to himself. But he preffered his house better.

_Hey, stop judging! You haven't even entered the castle yet and you've already decided you miss your bedroom! And you've been waiting for this your entire life! _

James scolded himself, Ever since his father gave him the talk (about being in Gryffindor), all James thought about was going to Hogwarts. The moment had come and now James was too scared to move. Nobody wants to be friends with a shy loser, so man up and act confident, James didn't want to start off his school career on the wrong foot. And so James did as he told himself.

The new students wandered their way to the entrance of the Great Hall where a stiff and strict looking teacher was waiting. She introduced herself as Professor McGonagall and informed them of the rules, regulations, and procedure beforehand. She also explained the different houses and the meaning of being in them before she told them to wait for a few minutes, and made her way back into the Great Hall.

Different groups formed and argued about which house was the best and which one each of them should be in. He found the mysterious girl talking to a boy with sandy blonde hair and a slightly worn out face, a short girl with a brown pixie cut, and a girl with long bleach blonde hair and worn out shoes. They were all laughing and pointing fingers at the girl with scuffed shoes. Apparently she wanted to be in a difference house than they did.

The boy with sandy hair turned around and caught James staring. James quickly averted his eyes and went back to talking with Sirius. There wasn't much to talk about since they both agreed they wanted to be in Gryffindor. So when James turned his attention back to the Red Head's group he found that the others had left her talking with the sandy haired bloke.

McGonagall came back to usher them back in the hall. The whole time she was repeating,

"Be quiet, you don't want to make a bad impression on your soon to be teachers and fellow classmates, now do you?"

Most students snickered. Others heard James and Sirius mutter sarcastically,

"No, no we wouldn't!" Suggesting that they had big plans to bother the teachers and students big time.

Realizing that the entire hall was staring at them unashamedly, the first years stopped their whispering and took in the beauty of the hall.

Most students noticed an old, ragged hat sitting on a wooden three legged stool. While most first years found it completely random, James smiled knowingly.

After a few minutes of loitering, the hat opened its brim to sing a song.

"Climb up upon the stool,

Pull me down around your ears;

I'll reveal the new beginning

Of your magical careers.

And as you disperse to Houses

Where your new friends welcome you,

Keep in mind the world is looking

For a new beginning too.

For each House to play a part

In the rebuilding that's ahead,

You must all resist the follies

That have left so many dead.

Clever Ravenclaws: remember,

As your education starts,

All your knowledge comes to nothing

If you fail to use your hearts.

Faithful Hufflepuffs, take heed:

While it is noble to be true,

You must keep your eyes wide open;

Know the ones your loyal to.

Cunning Slytherins, be watchful:

Your ambition won't come free;

Those who claim the greatest power

Claim responsibility.

Valiant Gryffindors: though battle

Has a time and place that's right,

There are times when even warriors

Make peace without a fight.

As you go to forge your futures

Please remember what has passed,

Or the peace your friends have fought for

Will not be a peace that lasts.

Work together, help each other,

Banish thoughts of laying blame;

Though your banners may be diff'rent,

Deep inside you're much the same."

**(-leaky /fun/contests/deathlyhallowssortinghatsong )**

Most kids looked shocked that the hat could sing. Others looked surprised that the hat could sing well. The students sitting at the four tables looked amused at the first years reactions. Most were clapping, and those who didn't joined in.

"I'm STARVING!" One of the students shouted and shook their fist at an old and white haired, long bearded wizard sitting in the top table, in the center. The wizard just smiled and stood up.

"I acknowledge that we are running late, but let's give these first years the respect you received whe you were one."  
>And with that, every student that was clutching their stomach and moaning stopped at once.<p>

Professor McGonagall called the first name of all the students. "Amelia Bones!"

Amelia, obviously nervous about being the first one walked shakily to the stool and put the hat on. Two minutes later, after the hat contemplated which house to put her in, decided.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Everyone at one table burst into applause. Apparently that was the Hufflepuff table. Maybe it was good luck for a house to have the first student in a sorting?

Sirius Black went second and surprised everyone by being sorted into Gryffindor. James laughed.

The third person named Caradoc Dearborn was sorted into Hufflepuff also. This would be a good year for Hufflepuff.

More students got sorted before Professor McGonagall called the name Lily Evans.

Lily Evans was the name of the red headed, green eyed, freckled face girl who James took a liking to. James hoped desperately she wouldn't be sorted into Slytherin.

After a few seconds of hoping, the sorting hat shouted…

"GRYFFINDOR!"

This was better than James had hoped!

The whole Gryffindor table burst in applause for their first female first year.

Remus Lupin the sandy haired boy was sent to Gryffindor, which made many teachers smile.

Then went Marlene Mckinnon the long bleach blonde haired girl with scuffed sneakers. She was the fourth Ravenclaw. James turned and saw Lily laughing. Maybe that was the house Marlene was arguing about.

Alice Prewett (short, brown haired pixie cut) was the second female Gryffindor.

James was next. He was very nervous. What if he didn't get into Gryffindor with Sirius, Lily, Remus, and Alice? He would disappoint his parents if he didn't.

James pretended to be confident (which he learned was harder than actually being confident) as he walked up to the stool. He put the hat on and jumped as he heard a voice in his ear.

"_James Potter. There is no doubt where to put you, but will you prove you are worthy of it?" _

James did a double take. Was that hat insulting him?

It laughed.

"_It's okay, no need to worry. Just one piece of advice: You are brave, you are chivalrous, and you are prideful. But sometimes that can make you come off as arrogant. Though those may be some of your greatest traits, they may as well be the reason of your downfall."_

"Excuse me, what did you say?" Was all James could think.

Instead of replying the hat shouted to the entire hall,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

McGonagall beckoned the next student up, forcing James off the stool, and walked to the Gryffindor table.

He glanced at Sirius and laughed. Even though the hat made it clear it wasn't a dream, James told himself he imagined it.

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><p><strong>AN **

**I do not own the plot, sorting hat song, or the characters. Please review.**


	2. The Future

"You may delay, but time will not." ~Benjamin Franklin

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><p>As it turned out, the words that the sorting hat spoke echoed in James mind for years. And he didn't understand how prophetic the words were until the time he made the goal and put it into action.<p>

The red head girl named Lily Evans turned out immune to James's obvious charms, and she remained that way until James decided to change. It took a whole year. And of course James procrastinated until it was almost too late.

After years of torment from the Slytherins calling him a pathetic blood traitor, and Sirius laughing at how he blew it big time, Remus (the boy with sandy blonde hair and a tired face, he was secretly a werewolf) giving him looks of disappointment, and Lily looks of disapproval, James Potter changed.

Instead of pranking teachers, first years, and Slytherins, he spent his time "studying" in the common room or library (yes, James Potter went to _the library). _

He started paying attention in class, not staring at her, or playing exploding snap with Sirius.

He left Snape alone, though Sirius didn't.

He stopped dating random girls, taking them to Hogsmeade, and most of all, not taking them on escapades to the broom cupboard after curfew.

He stopped relentlessly bugging her and asking her out (this was painful to give up).

And when they had their first kiss together, James knew it was worth it.

Oh yes it was.


End file.
